Quick answerMadrid is the capital and largest city of Spain, with 3,477,497 people inside the city limits in 2025. The wider metropolitan area had about 6.1 million people in 2025. It is best known for the Royal Palace, the Prado Museum and the Retiro Park. Its official language is Spanish, and its currency is the Euro.
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain, with about 3.5 million people inside the city limits and about 6.1 million in the wider metropolitan area (2025). It stands on a high plateau in the centre of Spain and is home to the Royal Palace and the Prado Museum.
Key facts
| Country | Spain |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 3,477,497 (2025) |
| Population (metro) | 6,125,583 (2025) · Eurostat functional urban area |
| Elevation | 660 m above sea level |
| Time zone | Europe/Madrid |
| Language | Spanish |
| Currency | Euro (EUR, €) |
| Coordinates | 40.4168° N, 3.7038° W |
Overview
Madrid is the capital of Spain and the centre of its largest metropolitan area. The city proper covers 606 square kilometres and had 3,477,497 residents in 2025, while the wider metropolitan area held about 6.1 million people, making Madrid by far the largest urban area in Spain. Madrid sits on the Manzanares river, about 660 metres above sea level, making it the highest capital city in the European Union.
Madrid became the capital of Spain in 1561, when King Philip II moved his court there. The city grew around the Royal Palace and the Plaza Mayor, and in the 18th and 19th centuries it gained the grand boulevards and parks that shape it today, including the Retiro Park. The Prado Museum, home to works by Velázquez, Goya and El Greco, is one of the world's great art museums.
Today Madrid is Spain's political, economic and cultural capital. It hosts the national government, the headquarters of major Spanish companies, and some of the country's best-known football clubs, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid. The city is famous for its food, its late-night life and its neighbourhoods, from the historic centre around the Puerta del Sol to the grand Gran Vía. Most visitors come for the museums and the food, but the city's daily life — its markets, tapas bars and plazas — is what makes people return.
What Madrid is known for
- Royal Palace
- Prado Museum
- Retiro Park
- Plaza Mayor
- Tapas and nightlife
Landmarks
- Royal Palace
- Prado Museum
- Retiro Park
- Plaza Mayor
- Puerta del Sol
- Gran Vía
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Madrid?
About 3.5 million people live inside the Madrid city limits (3,477,497 in 2025, according to INE). The wider metropolitan area had about 6.1 million people. That gap is why Madrid can look modest on a map and huge in practice: the city proper covers 606 square kilometres.
What is Madrid famous for?
Madrid is famous for the Royal Palace, the Prado Museum, the Retiro Park and the Plaza Mayor. It is also known for its food and tapas bars, its nightlife, and its football clubs, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid. The city centre is compact and best explored on foot or by Metro.
Where is Madrid located?
Madrid is in the centre of Spain, on the high central plateau known as the Meseta. It is the capital of Spain and of the Community of Madrid region. Its coordinates are 40.42° N, 3.70° W, and its time zone is Central European Time.
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Keep exploring
- Spain — the country Madrid is in
- Barcelona — another city in Spain
- Valencia — another city in Spain
- Seville — another city in Spain
- All cities in Spain
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), via Wikipedia — Madrid
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE)
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.